Ron Brace Determined to Make Improvements After Marginal Rookie Year

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May 27, 2010

Ron Brace Determined to Make Improvements After Marginal Rookie Year FOXBORO, Mass. — Ron Brace spent five years in college, but he never went through a learning experience like the one he had during his rookie season with the Patriots.

The defensive lineman carried heavy expectations into New England after the Pats selected the Boston College product in the second round of the 2009 draft. Brace was obviously added to bolster the depth on the Patriots' defensive line, and if he played well, he could have given the organization some leverage in eventual contract discussions with Vince Wilfork.

But Brace didn’t get a whole lot of time on the field, and he was leapfrogged on the depth chart by sixth-round pick Myron Pryor. Now heading into his second season, Brace is in a serious fight for a roster spot.

"I don’t even think about that aspect," Brace said Wednesday. "If you worry about, 'Am I going to lose my job?' then you're going to be on your toes, and you're going to start thinking and you're going to be bad on your assignments.

"If it happens to be that [the coaches] see something they don’t like, and somebody has to get moved on, it just means they weren’t made for that system or they'll probably have better luck somewhere else."

Brace was up against it from the word go. Boston College plays a four-man, one-gap front, and the Patriots mostly use a three-man, two-gap front, which is a brutal system for a newcomer to learn, especially when they've got no experience with a 3-4.

"It was kind of a humbling experience because I didn’t get to play, but it also opened my eyes to let me know I still have a lot of work to do," Brace said. "You aren’t the big man around here anymore. There's another big man around here. You've got to learn your role, fall in and try to excel."

Brace laughed when reflecting on his college days, knowing he could overpower his blocker basically whenever he wanted. That stuff doesn’t exactly fly in the NFL — he called it "a shock" that poor technique can put a player in such a developmental hole — and he admitted his hands and feet needed a ton of improvement. Brace also said he spent this offseason adding strength to his core to improve his balance.

Wilfork, whose locker is adjacent to Brace's, has been a huge help, too. The veteran has told Brace to spend more time in the film room, particularly while studying opponents' tendencies. Brace is hoping last season's adjustment to the NFL and the offseason's heightened work routine yield better results in 2010.

"It was an eye-opener," Brace said. "It let me know, 'Hey, kick it up. You need to work on your technique a little more.'

"I think a year under your belt helps a lot, especially once you're in the same system. It helps a lot to get a refresher course right now [during the Patriots' organized team activities] and then just build off that."

Brace was inactive eight times last season, including New England's playoff defeat to Baltimore. He recorded nine tackles (six solo) and started twice when Wilfork was injured in December. Brace's most notable performance came in his first career start in Week 15 against the Bills, recording five total tackles (three solo), and he recovered from a poor opening series to play pretty well during the remainder of the game.

The Springfield, Mass., native has something to build from, but he's well aware that he's got plenty of room to grow. The Patriots have already invested plenty into Brace, and he is a smart, humble kid who is eager to make sure he doesn’t let them down after a rocky rookie year.

"I saw that there's a lot I still need to do," Brace said. "It's not like college. Everybody's a technician in this sport, so I've got to become a technician, too. I've got to learn a lot more. I've got to learn their tendencies and work on it from there."

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